Alex Rodriguez played in a simulated game in Tampa yesterday, taking 13 at-bats and playing three innings in the field.

Rodriguez, rehabbing his surgically repaired right knee, had four hits (including two doubles) with three strikeouts. He ran the bases, and participated in nine outs at third base.

Rodriguez, who played rehab games with Single-A Tampa on Friday and Saturday as a DH, will be off today. He is slated to play for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre tomorrow and Wednesday with a potential return to the Yankees on Thursday for the start of a four-game road series against the Twins.

“The timetable’s still the same,” manager Joe Girardi said yesterday. “I expect to see him sometime in Minnesota.”

Said Mark Teixeira of A-Rod’s return, “It makes our lineup so much deeper. . . . It gives us more options late in games or maybe if we need to rest a guy here or there. It makes our team much better.”

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Top pitching prospect Manuel Banuelos figures to be used out of the Yankees bullpen after rosters expand on Sept. 1. Assuming that happens, the 20-year-old would serve as a lefty option for Girardi.

Russell Martin caught Banuelos in spring training.

“He can get guys out in the big leagues,” Martin said. “Maturity-wise, this guy seemed like he was pretty together.”

Banuelos is 4-6 with a 3.54 ERA in 23 combined starts for Double-A and Triple-A this season, striking out 110 in 112 innings. He has made three starts at Triple-A.

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Third-round pick Jordan Cotes, a high school right-hander from New Hampshire, is close to finalizing a deal with the Yankees. Cotes, who has an offer to play college ball at Coastal Carolina, figures to receive money on par with a supplemental first-round pick.

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The Yankees are hitting .297 as a team in August, no thanks to Eduardo Nunez, who is batting a lowly .192 (5-for-26) this month.

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David Robertson has not surrendered an earned run since July 26, a span of seven outings and 6 2/3 innings. The All-Star setup man has given up only one hit and no walks during that span.

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Teixeira said his appearance on the HBO show “Entourage” will be in the penultimate episode. The show airs on Sunday nights.